Happiness or Sadness – Our Choice

Can we choose happiness or sadness?

Let’s first understand what is happiness or sadness. Both are extreme forms of emotions felt by the mind. Mind builds up some expectations. When these expectations are fulfilled, we feel happy and when they are not, we feel sad. We may not have any control over the factors that help fulfill our expectations. But, we can certainly control our expectations by analyzing whether they are in line with our capacities and resources. The more realistic our expectations will be, the more will be the chances of their fulfillment and hence happiness. However, there is no guarantee of their fulfillment. Sadness is still possible.

We feel happy or sad because we have identified ourselves with our minds. The truth is: our mind is only a tool which we possess. We are beyond and far more powerful than the mind. At the core of our being, there is only ‘Bliss’. But, we are hardly there to experience it. Instead, we live and breathe through our minds. We have allowed our possession, a tool, to rule over our lives. Just as we let our cell phones take over the control of our lives. Our moods are driven by the presence or absence of messages it delivers. We forget that it is only a tool of communication – no more, no less. It’s up to us how we use it. We may put it on silence mode when we don’t want to be disturbed by its noise, or even switch it off when we don’t want to communicate anything.

Mind can similarly be used as and when needed. It will certainly get affected by the external factors over which we have little control. It will experience happiness or sadness from time-to-time. But, we needn’t get affected by its condition. When the cell phone battery dies, we simply plug it into the source of power. Similarly, when the mind experiences sadness, we simply need to feed it with some inspiring thoughts. And, when it is experiencing happiness, we should enjoy its presence and make use of its immense power, just as we use our cell phone when it is fully charged.

It is, however, not easy to disengage from the mind. Years of practice to identify with mind cannot be reversed instantly. Perhaps, we should start by saying, “My mind is feeling sad or happy”, instead of saying, “I am feeling sad or happy.” Also, we should start visualizing the mind as a tool (e.g. a cell phone). Slowly but surely the bondage would break. As we start feeling separation from the mind, we would start becoming free from its emotions. We would also start gaining control over it. We must realize that “Mind is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master.”